


Hoofprints in Snow

by ambyr



Series: Winter's Choice [1]
Category: Spinning Silver - Naomi Novik, Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 2, Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22981639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ambyr/pseuds/ambyr
Summary: "Are not all white animals yours?"
Relationships: Miryem Mandelstam/The Staryk Lord
Series: Winter's Choice [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1661761
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42
Collections: Purimgifts 2020





	Hoofprints in Snow

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elf (Elfwreck)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elfwreck/gifts).



"My lord," said the Staryk, head bowed before his king, "I bring news."

My husband was holding court in the grove at the center of our kingdom, scheduled according to some calendar I did not understand. It was a dull business, if I was honest with myself, full of complaints and resolutions that often made as little sense to me as fairy tales. But I was determined to listen, determined to learn what it meant to fulfill all the duties of a Staryk queen.

"Tell me," my husband said, and the Staryk, eyes still downcast and tone low, said, "A white horse has been seen in our lands."

The Staryk were never loud except when they intended to be; they did not murmur or shift like a human crowd would. And yet still I could hear it: the silence and stillness that followed his words, absolute as the morning after a blizzard, when snow muffled the world and not a bird could be seen.

"Where?" My husband's voice was cold; it did not soften as he received an answer and gave directions for his knights to begin a search.

I did not dare ask him anything then. It was only later, in our rooms, that I felt safe revealing my ignorance.

"Why does the white horse concern you? Are not all white animals yours?"

His expression said it was a very stupid question, but I held my ground. "Well?"

"All white animals," he ground out, "except the horse."

It was not like my husband to be that short with me, and I realized, suddenly, that he was not angry: he was _frightened_ , frightened as I had not seen him since Chernobog threatened his people.

"My lord," I said, as patiently as I could, "if there is a danger to our kingdom, tell me. How else shall I help meet it?"

"You--" he bit back his words, and stopped, considering. "My people," he explained finally, "do not keep horses. But every once in a while, one comes to us, its pelt as pale as my stag and its eyes as blue as the sky. It comes, and it takes away a child, and it gives nothing in exchange." He forced a thin smile. "Trust that my knights will deal with it, lady. Let us busy ourselves with other things tonight."

But it was not the knights that found the horse.


End file.
